Rock Projects (cuz kindness rocks!)

Years ago I was introduced to the Rock Project by one of my
feeding therapy clients. A sweet 6-year-old with cerebral palsy made me a rock
painted with ‘xo’ (which is something I am known to write before I sign my name
in cards, notes and emails to remind others that I love them). This gesture was
extremely meaningful to me. This lovely girl can barely hold on to a spoon, and
I can only imagine the effort it took to hold a paintbrush and make this gift!
Her mom explained to me that they are a part of a community that spreads
kindness by painting rocks and leaving them for friends, loved ones and even
strangers. Kindness is such a powerful message to teach your kids, so here are
a few tips to get you started on your own Rock Project!

Teaching Connection:
The Kindness Rocks Project aims
to spread connection through art. Their goals are to 1) touch others through
randomly placed rocks and 2) inspire those touched by the rock to perform
another random act of kindness. In short, by leaving rocks with inspiring
messages you can help make someone’s day and start a domino effect of thoughtfulness,
patience and love.

Teaching Kindness: In order for
young children to grasp this project, we first have to teach them about
kindness. When I teach toddlers about the concept of kindness, I do it in three
easy steps, which I call the 3 E’s to Kindness: empathy, example and event.

- Empathy: It’s easy to introduce the concept of empathy to
toddlers. Since they are always scraping a knee or wanting a snack, we have
ample opportunities to teach this skill! First, we want our kids to learn how
to label their own feelings. Then, we can help them learn to understand someone
else’s feelings too. I teach empathy by encouraging a different thought
process: “Oh, Johnny fell off the slide really hard. What would you want
someone to do or say if you fell?”

- Example: Be an example for your kids by showing them how
to be patient in stressful
situations or kind when you are in a rush.

- Event: Finding an event that the whole family can
participate in to learn about kindness can be a difficult task. Most families I
work with have an organization they volunteer at, but it’s time consuming to
get the kids involved in these charitable events, or the kids may not be old
enough to participate. But they can certainly attend a home crafting event and paint
rocks!

Teaching Creativity: The
exciting part about this project is that it’s easy to implement, inexpensive, and fun for the whole family! There are a variety of ways to create an
inspirational message. Here are a few examples:

- Word Rocks: This is where you paint just one powerful word
on your rock to give a passerby a meaningful message. Some kid favorites are smile,
love, breathe, hug, peace and laugh.

- Quote Rocks: These are inspiring quotes, thoughts, bible
verses or mantras. Some common ones are: be kind, try again, find your
peace, you got this and love is patient.

- Theme Rocks: These are rocks painted for a theme or event like
Back to School, Christmas or Memorial Day. These rocks can help give a child
hope when they are bullied at school or ease loneliness during a holiday.

- Food Rocks: If you have a child who is picky
about some of the foods they eat, this is a great art project! Have your kiddo
paint their favorite foods or foods they want to learn how to eat. Or, they can
write silly food quotes like ‘Let’s Taco Bout it!’ or ‘Life
is better with pizza’ or ‘Good food = good mood.’

Teaching Art: Even
if crafting
is not your thing, you can teach your kids how to do this easy rock art
project. You only need the below supplies to get started:

Rocks

Non-toxic spray paint

Paint Pens

Non-toxic sealant

Paint Brush

Directions:

First, find some flat rocks in your yard or local park that
are smooth and easy to write on. If you can’t find any just purchase them at a
local craft store. Next, wash your rocks to remove any dirt or grime and let
dry. Spray your rocks with non-toxic paint to seal the rock and make it easier
to write on. Then use paint pens to inscribe and draw your inspiration. (I find
that the oil based Sharpie paint pens are easiest for kids and come in a
variety of colors). Lastly, protect your art by applying a coat of non-toxic
sealant.

Be sure to add the hashtag #TheKindnessRocksProject to the
back of each rock if you and your kids want to join this movement. Take
pictures and share your creations online too!

We hope you enjoy this craft project
with your kids and appreciate the spirit of The Kindness Rocks Project. When
you make a rock creation with your family, tag us in your pic! #ezpzfun
#TheKindnessRocksProject

Photo Credit: Paul Joyner Photo

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Dawn Winkelmann, M.S, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist & Feeding Specialist for ezpz

Dawn Winkelmann, a.k.a “Ms. Dawn”, has treated thousands of kids across the globe by helping families overcome picky eating stages and food refusals, while adding new foods into their diet. Her high success rate is attributed to Ms. Dawn bringing her education, experience, sense of humor and her favorite feeding products to the family dinner table.

You will find Ms. Dawn’s expert feeding advice to be positive and fun for the entire family! She adapts complicated feeding/swallowing research and makes it practical and easy for parents! Get ready to learn the science behind your favorite feeding products and ways to bring happy family mealtimes back!